PLANTERSVILLE — Sometimes playing an in-school game can be a distraction, but that was far from the case Thursday for the Dallas County volleyball team.

With Class 5A’s area 6 championship on the line, the Hornets (12-4) fed off the energy from their student body to defeat Demopolis 25-19, 25-12, 25-15. The win clinched the first area championship in Dallas County history and ensured the area 6 tournament will be held in Plantersville for the first time.

“I’m proud of the girls and proud of the work they’ve put in,” said Dallas County head coach Linda Moore. “Demopolis has a very good team. I thought the girls really played hard and they made us earn our points.”

From the opening serve, Dallas County took control. Alexis Goodwin won two early plays at the net to help the Hornets take a quick 5-1 lead in the first set.

Dallas County had a 7-1 lead at one point, but it was whittled down to 11-7 and it looked as if the Tigers might’ve survived the early wave of momentum.

Back to back aces by Ivey Harris put the Hornets back in control and Dallas County didn’t look back.

Demopolis trailed only 10-6 in the second set, but Dallas County won 15 of the next 21 points to take complete control of the match. Every time the Hornets won a point, the students erupted in cheers. Every time there was a timeout, the Dallas County band played a tune.

It was clear the entire school was taking Thursday’s game seriously.

“It is always good to perform in front of your peers and we were glad our girls were able to do that in front of their classmates,” Moore said. “It really gave us more excitement because we always like to play in front of a crowd.”

The game was swapped from 5 p.m. because the Demopolis football team was playing on the road at Sumter Central. With the change to 2 p.m., the Hornets’ student body was able to watch the first two sets of the match before the school day ended.

By the time most of the students got up to leave, the game was well decided.

“It is hard to play in somebody else’s house, especially when they have the whole student body in the gym rooting for them,” said Demopolis coach Brittany Dunson.

Dallas County took an 8-1 lead in the third set behind a kill at the net by Jamerah Smith and precision serving by Brittney Brown.

The Hornets coasted from there and clinched the area title with one area game left to be played against Sumter Central.

Dallas County has won 36 of the 48 sets its played this season, including 36 of its last 42.

The Hornets next match is at Hillcrest Saturday at part of a tournament in Tuscaloosa.